Compare towns
Marshfield vs Gardner vs Easton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Marshfield has the most people working from home (24.8%).
Gardner has the most affordable homes ($302k median).
Easton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.4%).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Marshfield | Gardner | Easton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 25,879Highest |
21,148Lowest |
25,316 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+5.2% MA: +7.4% |
+8.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.9±2.6Highest 15% above MA |
43.7±2.3 9% above MA |
42.8±2Lowest 7% above MA |
| Marshfield and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
18.3%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.7%±2.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Easton and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.2%±2Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.6%±2.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.9%±2 MA: 17.9% |
| Marshfield and Easton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52.4% MA: 47.3% |
23.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
53.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
11.3%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $125,986±$8kHighest 21% above MA |
$67,518±$8kLowest 35% below MA |
$124,271±$7k 20% above MA |
| Marshfield and Easton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $680,300±$27kHighest 21% above MA |
$301,600±$20kLowest 46% below MA |
$581,200±$24k 3% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,772±$123 about the MA average |
$1,109±$51Lowest 37% below MA |
$1,824±$161Highest 4% above MA |
| Easton and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,656 11% above MA |
$4,150Lowest 31% below MA |
$6,860Highest 14% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.1%±10.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
49.7%±8.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
60.9%±13.2 MA: 51.8% |
| Marshfield and Easton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.7% MA: 10% |
13.7%Highest MA: 10% |
6%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.8% MA: 62.5% |
58.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
81.6%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968 4 yrs newer than MA |
1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1979Highest 15 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 19% above MA |
31 min 5% above MA |
30 minLowest 3% above MA |
| Work from home | 24.8%±4.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
13.3%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
21%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Marshfield and Easton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #54 of 282 in MA | #273 of 282 in MA | #95 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Marshfield | Gardner | Easton · Southeastern Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | Marshfield High | Gardner High | Southeastern Regional Vocational Technical |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.0Lowest |
13.5Highest |
12.2 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
MA average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.